From East to West 2022

Principals Reflection

Welcome. I was honoured to commence as the seventh Principal of our College in January this year. Having been a resident once upon a time, it has been a joy to reconnect with the College and its community of supporters. My partner, Sophie (also an Old Collegian), and children, Theo and Charlotte, have felt warmly welcomed and are looking forward to many happy years here.

Our community was fortunate to welcome and learn from some truly special guests this year, including:

• The Most Rev’d Peter A ComensoliArchbishop of Melbourne

• Professor Elliott - Senior Vice President (Education) of Monash University

• Sara James - Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist and author

• Inala Cooper (1992) - Old Collegian and Director Murrup Barak at the University of Melbourne

• Dr Geoff Pascoe (2007) - Old Collegian and Rhodes Scholar

• Dr Belle Huguenin (2007) - Old Collegian and Fulbright Scholar

• Dr Lewis Fry (2011) - Old Collegian and Rhodes Scholar

• Tom Molyneux (2010) - Old Collegian and Manager of Indigenous Inclusion at Deakin University

What a massive year for Mannix! From across the nation and all walks of life, we have immersed ourselves in the many opportunities that our College provides. Whether it be social events, formal dinners, sporting competitions, academic tutorials or just a quiet moment in our campus gardens, our community has found connection and inspiration more often than not. While the pandemic and its associated sanctions brought their fair share of challenges, they have also highlighted our capacity for great resilience, creativity and hope.

As this edition of From East to West captures so well, our students achieved and enjoyed much in 2022. They attained incredible grades, excelled in internships, raised more than $10,000 for charity, competed in sports, and won prizes and scholarships. And in so doing, they’re made friends and added to a rich tapestry of Mannix memories.

• Charlee Hawkes (2017) - Old Collegian and former MCSS President

We are a community in which pursuing one’s potential is both valued and applauded. We launched awards to recognise alumni and staff who have demonstrated excellence and service to their profession and community. My hearty congratulations to the special group of winners and thank you to the Mannix community for their nominations.

This year we applauded Monash University for rising (ever higher!) to 44th in the Times Higher Education world university rankings. Monash was among the biggest improvers in the nation and we’re proud to share a partnership in educational excellence with them for over fifty years as our residents obtained a Distinction average yet again.

It was wonderful to welcome alumni back into the College on many occasions this year with more than 100 enjoying the inaugural Gryphon

Gala. Some hadn’t seen one another in years. Others hadn’t been back to College since they left. It was a special night for all.

All of the above and all that you will read about in this edition is no accident, just as the welcoming, inclusive and inspiring culture of Mannix is no accident. There is a large and passionate team of people who enable the College to do all this and more.

Thank you to our passionate and dedicated staff for helping us to provide a ‘home away from home’ for our residents.

Thank you to our alumni, Foundation, and pioneering community of donors who are enabling new generations of Mannixians to enjoy all that our College has to offer.

Thank you to the College Council, Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne and Monash University for your support of our community and its aspirations.

But above all, thank you to our wonderful residents. When talking with you I am inevitably struck by your thoughtfulness, your enthusiasm and energy, and your hope for what comes next. You have lived through history these last three pandemic years; you have faced challenges few previous Mannixians students have faced and I hope you emerge from the experience more confident and more capable. I look forward to seeing how you shape the future and will be there to cheer you on.

Whilst celebrating 2022, this bumper edition also acknowledges the challenges that 2020 and 2021 brought upon our community and contains a few highlights from those years too.

Please enjoy this opportunity to connect with life at Mannix College.

Dean of Students & Wellbeing Report

The Annie McGuire joined the College as Dean of Students & Wellbeing in Semester 2. Among her responsibilities, Annie leads all aspects of the emotional, physical, social, environmental, and spiritual wellbeing supports offered by the College. She oversees orientation, student leadership development, wellbeing initiatives, counselling and incident management. Above all, Annie is a fun and joyful member of our community and we’re so glad to have her leading us.

Residential life - to be enjoyed at its fullest - requires there to be a strong sense of ‘social cohesion’; ensuring the elements of building and maintaining relationships, giving back to the community as well as offering kindness to others, being present to have a chat, going for a walk and enjoying the company of others in ‘real’ time. This is where two of our four-legged friends - Alma and Joe have been

instrumental in the development of ‘social cohesion’. Wagging of tails and rushing to the sound of the door opening - these two are great examples of wanting to greet all who enter, offering a pat or a walk - Alma and Joe are always present, kind, full of energy and up for a walk.

In addition to our furry friends, there are a myriad of ways for Mannix residents to find their tribe and discover their villages. Australian psychologist, social researcher and writer - Hugh Mackay describes these villages in his book ‘The Art of Belonging’ as those places whereby there is a shared purpose, open communication and a great sense of belonging. Mannix College is itself a village with a series of smaller ones to be found in the JCR, Senior Common Rooms, Dino, Library, Common Rooms as well as reception and the tute rooms.

Our student leaders across the College actively contribute to the ‘social cohesion’ and the curation of

smaller villages and tribes to suit all residents. The continual offerings of great floor events, the MCSS Social Calendar and MCSS Sports; as we entered the final weeks of Semester 2 we had amazing floor performances and incredibly close competition for Super Floor with Mid East winning by 5 points!

Mannix residents embraced all the different villages - participated in a bunch of different tribes and contributed to the ‘vibe’ of Mannix. Whether it was in a tutorial, floor retreat, yoga, or Shut Up and Write during SWOTVAC, RUOK? Day, Open Days, and all the MCSS eventsMannixians show up for each other and uphold our values - respectful relationships, the wellbeing of all residents, service and gratitude.

It is that mindset we can state with confidence our College motto, Omnia Omnibus (All Things To All People).

SRA Report by Olivia

Within the pastoral care team, the role of Senior Resident Advisor (SRA) provides general oversight and support for the team of Resident Advisors (RAs). The SRA and RAs are employed by the College to offer our residents connection, support and assistance during their time at College. The entire Mannix community is grateful for the wonderful team of leaders we’ve had in 2022 which was led by our incredible SRA, Olivia Putland.

Before venturing into Mannix three years ago, I didn’t know it was possible for a place this special to exist.

Mannix has an unwavering ability to welcome all residents with open arms and allow us all to succeed on our individual journeys. It enables us all to be unapologetically ourselves and celebrate the diversity we bring to these halls.

I love that Mannix is filled with the brightest minds, kindest souls, and most talented humans around, who bring the best out of one another. Whether it be the sporting prowess on the Bastro, the musical talent on the stage or the passion for social justice as we strive for a better college, Mannix is a successful

Putland

community. Each day I appreciate how lucky I am to be a part of this family and our community inspires me to dream bigger and work harder.

To the front office, maintenance, cleaning, and kitchen teams, you are an integral part of the College community. Thank you for the dedication and care you show each day to make our lives more special. From the welcome ring of Mercedes ‘Hey Girl’ at dinner to the cuddles from Alma and Joe, Jason never failing to ask everyone how their day was and Dylan continuing to exceed our Saturday Brunch expectations, you all help make Mannix, Mannix. A special thank you must go to Annie, Andrew and Anthony. You have always seen me as Liv first and the SRA second. You were the first people to ask if I’m ok and have taught me the power of integrity.

I will forever be grateful for the luck I’ve had to stumble across twelve such incredible, passionate, thoughtful, and clever humans on the RA team. Your kindness so often sees you putting others’ needs before your own and committing to ensuring every Mannixian feels welcome in this community. Thank you for trusting me on this journey

and helping to achieve our goal of creating a safe, vibrant college.

To the wonderful MCSS Committee, thank you for continually chasing your vision of creating an inclusive, thriving culture regardless of the obstacles you’ve faced. The phenomenal number of hours you’ve dedicated to prioritising and enriching the student experience doesn’t go unnoticed, thank you. To Aidan, I’m so grateful I’ve been able to work alongside you this year, thank you for helping me analyse my beliefs and for reminding me to go rogue.

As I prepare to leave Mannix, this isn’t a community I ever want to forget. I hold close to my heart the contagious energy of functions, the laughter of floor events, the happiness of friendships, the growth of being SRA and the pride that I will forever be a Mannixian. Thank you to every 2022 Mannixian for leaving your mark on the culture of our home.

Omnia Omnibus, Glory and Guts!

MCSS President Report

by Aidan Hanrahan

Omnia Omnibus – All things to all people. That is what Mannix strives to be and that is what the Mannix College Student Society have aspired to give all residents in 2022. As the ‘beating heart of college culture’, the Mannix College Student Society MCSS provided various social, sporting, cultural and academic offerings working to ensure all residents felt a sense of belonging in our community. The MCSS committee had the goal this year to not only ‘restart’ after the pandemic, but continue raising the College to new heights.

Despite remnants of COVID-19 restrictions affecting the College at the beginning of 2022, this did not dampen the excitement that the new Freshers arrived at College with. O-Week was an awesome opportunity for our Freshers to experience college life and make some new mates with a plethora of events including a scavenger hunt, sports day and resident leader chats of a day leading into epic functions of a night.

As the Returners arrived back at College, it was awesome to see the halls properly filled and the bustling with life after the previous two years.

Once the year got going, there was never a dull moment at Mannix. It was sensational for all Mannixians to truly experience what a full college calendar of events felt like.

Sports was as always, a highlight strengthening the bonds within a floor and the rivalries between them. The semester one inter-floor netball competition was a huge success despite Bot West taking the win, whereas Sunday sports such as lawn bowls and bowling alley weeks are an awesome way to get one’s head out of the books.

Functions were once again a great way for residents to socialise and celebrate. A huge amount of fun was had at Mannix under the tent of Bush Doof, and heading Back to School and Back to The Future. Off-site we had the pleasure of celebrating Wedding Night at Dooley’s, The Metropolis and inter-collegiate Paint Party in the city and capped off the year with Committee’s Last on a voyage through Port Phillip Bay that will not be forgotten.

It was unreal to see the return of MCSS Ball with Thundamentals at Horrorball being absolutely epic and the College play production of

‘Grease’ unanimously hailed as ‘a movie’. Alongside this, there were many more community events such as empowerment workshops, Safe and Sexy week, and over $10,000 raised for charities such as Mullets for Mental Health.

It’s safe to say it’s been a huge year. The MCSS has definitely had its ups and downs but could not have done it without the support of Olivia Putliand (Senior RA) and the RAs, the Administrative staff, but especially each and every resident. We would be nothing without the legends that walk these halls and get around all our events. I am incredibly indebted to the Mannix College Community for one of the most amazing experiences of my life and three of the best years. I don’t know if I’ll ever find a community as special as this one.

Omnia Omnibus, Glory and Guts.

Academic and Student Awards

At our heart, Mannix is a community of scholars with students studying a broad range of degrees at Monash University.

Our Semester 2 Academic Awards Formal Dinner was an occasion to celebrate the aspirations of our scholarly community as a whole and to also recognise some special achievements of those who were awarded Academic Excellence accolades and the prestigious Knox Scholarships.

Living at Mannix offers students constant access to academic support through formal tutorials and peerto-peer mentoring. The College enjoys a well-deserved reputation for its inspiring academic environment. High pass rates above the Monash University average are a direct reflection of the College’s student-centred approach.

Academic Excellence

An astonishing forty-eight students received Academic Excellence awards for obtaining a High Distinction Average in Semester 2 2021 and/or Semester 1 2022.

Knox Scholarships

Twenty-two students were awarded a Knox Scholarship which are provided in memory of Cardinal James Robert Knox, Archbishop of Melbourne between 1967 – 1974. The most prestigious academic awards available at Mannix, Knox Scholarships recognise outstanding academic achievement. These scholarships were generously made available by the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne with each recipient receiving $750.

To support student academic success this year, Mannixians have enjoyed 24/7 access to our Academic Centre, quiet study spaces, and an extensive library. They’ve attended tutorials run by the College and been inspired by guest speakers. Mannix students get a head start in their career and personal life with access to leadership roles, training courses, guest speakers, mentoring and advice from a network of Old Collegians.

Knox Scholarship Recipients

2021

Name Course

Alexandra Desmond B. Commerce/B. Science

Charlie Roache B. Medical Science/Dr. Medicine

Ella White B. Law (Hons)/B. Arts

Georgia Lyras Musgrave B. Medical Science/Dr. Medicine

Hannah Lippiatt B. Science

Hamish Mcdougall B. Engineering (Hons)

Ian Lim B. Biomedical Science

Olivia Putland

B. Medical Science/Dr. Medicine

Tegan Burns B. Medical Science/Dr. Medicine

Tailyn Dawson B. Business

William Ayers B. Commerce/B. Finance

Xavier Younan B. Science/B. Computer Science

2022 Name Course

Akarsh Singh B. Biomedical Science

Alannah Sanderson B. Nursing

Alexandra Desmond B. Commerce/B. Science

Eloise Schmedje B. Marketing/B. Ar ts

Freya Clare B. Science Advanced (Hons)

Ian Lim B. Biomedical Science

Isabel Saka B. Law (Hons)/B. Commerce

Joshua Mekken B. Commerce/B. IT

Madeleine Jeffrey-Moore B. Commerce/B. Global Studies

Sidney White B. Law (Hons)/B. Science

Tailyn Dawson B. Business

William Ayers B. Commerce/B. Finance

William Hall B. Engineering (Hons)

William Keeble B. Computer Science Advanced (Hons)

Academic Excellence Award Recipients

2021

Name Course

Aidan Hanrahan B. Medical Science/Dr. Medicine

Akarsh Singh B. Biomedical Science

Alexander Unmack B. Engineering (Hons)/B. Commerce

Alexandra Desmond B. Commerce /B. Science

Arabella Allen B. Medical Science/Dr. Medicine

Asvini Allada B. Biomedical Science

Brooke Otto B. Science

Cailin Green B. Biomedical Science

Charlie Roache B. Medical Science/Dr. Medicine

Chun An Joan Cheng B. Medical Science/Dr. Medicine

Elly Jackman B. Medical Science/Dr. Medicine

Emily Richardson B. Biomedical Science

Francis Slattery B. Medical Science/Dr. Medicine

Georgia Lyras Musgrave B. Medical Science/Dr. Medicine

Hamish McDougall B. Engineering (Hons)

Hannah Lippiatt B. Science

Harrison Carroll-Beard B. Medical Science/Dr. Medicine

Hoang Thao Linh Nguyen B. Biomedical Science

Huynh Bao Khanh Truong B. Biomedical Science

Ian Lim B. Biomedical Science

Isabel Saka B. Law (Hons)/B. Commerce

Jennifer Langford B. Medical Science/Dr. Medicine

Jeremy Bolton B. Medical Science/Dr. Medicine

Joshua Prowse B. Biomedical Science

Olivia Putland B. Medical Science/Dr. Medicine

Oscar Smith B. Engineering (Hons)

Shae White B. Medical Science/Dr. Medicine

Stephanie Hancock B. Medical Science/Dr. Medicine

Tailyn Dawson B. Business

Tegan Burns B. Medical Science/Dr. Medicine

Tess Heath B. Medical Science/Dr. Medicine

William Ayers B. Commerce/B. Finance

Xavier Younan B. Science/B. Computer Science

2022

Name Course

Akarsh Singh B. Biomedical Science

Alannah Sanderson B. Nursing

Alexandra Desmond B. Commerce/B. Science

Asvini Allada B. Biomedical Science

Brooke Otto B. Science

Cailin Green B. Biomedical Science

Dominic Bongiorno B. Engineering (Hons)

Ellen Malmo B. Nursing/B. Midwifery (Hons)

Eloise Schmedje B. Marketing/B. Ar ts

Emily Fryett B. Engineering (Hons)/B. Commerce

Freya Clare B. Science Advanced (Hons)

Hamish McDougall B. Engineering (Hons)

Huynh Bao Khanh Truong B. Biomedical Science

Ian Lim B. Biomedical Science

Javier Belmar Osborn B. Law (Hons)/B. Arts

Joshua Mekken B. Commerce/B. IT

Joshua Prowse B. Biomedical Science

Larissa Ward B. Nutrition Science

Madeleine Jeffrey-Moore B. Commerce/B. Global Studies

Michael FitzGerald B. Engineering (Hons)/B. Commerce

Oscar Smith B. Engineering (Hons)

Sidney White B. Laws (Hons)/B. Science

Tailyn Dawson B. Business

Tom Miller-Schmetzer B. Engineering (Hons)/B. Commerce

William Ayers B. Commerce/B. Finance

William Hall B. Engineering (Hons)

William Keeble B. Computer Science Advanced (Hons)

Xavier Younan B. Science/B. Computer Science

Mannix Foundation

2022 was a watershed year for the Mannix College Foundation, with over $170,000 contributed from 40 generous donors to fund Mannix scholarships and build a philanthropic Endowment Fund to support future projects.

Old Collegian Mark Freeman, took over as Chairperson of the Mannix Foundation from College Fellow and Old Collegian Chris Dale In June 2022. As a Chief Investment Officer at Australian Foundation Investment Company, Mark is supported by a skilled, enthusiastic and ambitious team of Mannixians who together are responsible for governing the College’s fundraising efforts with Principal Andrew Swan.

Mark shares his passion for the role donors can play, through the Foundation, in helping young people access and enjoy Mannix:

“A Foundation is an important component of many institutions, as it provides a means of giving back.

A scholarship can help students take up a residency at Mannix and attend university - an important stepping stone for young people.

Contributing to the Foundation and seeing the impact it has on young people‘s lives by enabling them to attend Mannix is such a rewarding experience.

Giving back is something that everyone in a financially secure position should experience in their lives. It enriches our lives and gives us an increased sense of purpose.

We all want to continue the sense of pride we have in Mannix in the foundation office away from building on that. To ensure Mannix is strong into the future.

On another note, donating provides a chance to reconnect with the college and students. In 2022, to seed the Endowment Fund, a fundraising dinner was held which brought Old Colls and friends back together and allowed new friendships to form within a shared environment of giving back.”

The College is connecting a community of donors to support our wonderful students with scholarships and opportunities that were not previously possible.

Neil Kilpatrick was one of our first students, living at Mannix from 1969 for four years.

Neil says:

‘I was grateful for the sense of community at Mannix. I was from the bush and didn’t know anyone in Melbourne.

It was a great time. I met many friends there even though no one

knew each other at Mannix when they first got there. Students came from all over, but were nearly all country kids.’

In recognition of his positive experience at Mannix, Neil has generously included a gift to the College in his Will. He wants to support scholarships, saying

‘For a student from a poor background, if they’re [smart enough to go to Uni], they should be able to come to Mannix.’

Reflecting on their motivation to support the College, another one of our lovely donors commented:

“We are a family with three girls, from a small NSW country town. Our girls all attended Mannix College and enjoyed tremendous support and opportunities. They met their life partners there. From this experience, we felt that we wanted to help other students [who are underprivileged].”

We would like to particularly thank Chris Dale for all his hard work in help build the foundation and all our loyal supporters and donors.

If you wish to help support students in financial need become the Mannian of the future please visit our website (Mannix.monash.edu).

Thank you to our donors!

Geoff Adcock

Lisa, Leigh, Ellen and Sam Baring

Brito-Babapulle Family

Nicola Commins

Donna and Wes Cook

Olivia Corrado

Chris Dale

Alice Draffin

Andrew Faull

Mark Freeman

Kirsten Gerahty

Hawkins family

James Hawkins

Mark Janke

Nathalie and Tony Johnson

Lang Family

Kellie and David McDonald

Leigh McKinnon

Professor Gabrielle McMullen

Joe Melilli

Jacinta and David Munro

David Newman and Angela Lidgett

Glen Noonan

Ryan O’Shea

Clare and Tom Palmer

Tania Patston

Andrew Prentice

Madeleine and Cameron Price

Robert Reith

Kevin Saunders

Ryo Sekine

Barb Shea

Ron Storey

Andrew and Sophie Swan

James and Sue Swan

Tim Tobin

Susan Trainor

Lachlan Wraith and Mel Sievers-Wraith

Russell and Judy Ackerman

ADFAS Yarra

Mark Freeman (Chairperson), 1985 CEO of the Australian Foundation Investment Company (AFIC)

Nicola Commins (Vice-Chairperson), 1986 Partner at EY

Tony Johnson, 1985 Director and Adviser; Former Partner and CEO of EY Oceania

Alice Draffin, 2010 Dean of Student Wellbeing at St John’s College, within The University of Queensland

Georgie Fidge, 1990 Director Membership at Roads Australia

Chris Dale (Previous Chairperson), 1984 Senior Financial Advisor at Wilsons

Lachlan Wraith, 1988 Barrister

Gryphon Gala

Mannix has a proud history of nurturing talented and passionate people who so often ascend into excellence as people and professionals. We are also proud of the incredible staff who give so much more than their time and skills to support our students.

In recognition of this, we launched and awarded our very own Staff Recognition and Alumni Awards at the Gryphon Gala.

These awards celebrate members of our community who have significant accomplishments in their personal and professional lives or have provided service to the state or nation at different levels of accomplishment and life stage. Nominations were received from all corners of the Mannix community and we are proud to share the stories of our winners with you.

making her the youngest person ever to fulfil the role. This role gave her the opportunity to empower girls and young women and discover their potential as leaders, delivering the keynote at the 2020 Global Citizen International Women’s Day event in Melbourne.

Rising Star Award

Mandhree Ekanayake

Mandhree Ekanayake (2017), the winner of the Rising Star Award was an active member of the Mannix community. She was selected for the two most prestigious leadership programs at Monash University, Monash Minds and the Vice Chancellor’s Ancora Imparo Leadership Program.

Having been a high-performing Girl Guide, at just 20 years of age, she was elected as Assistant State Commissioner of Girl Guides Victoria,

Find out more about Mandhree below:

How does it feel to have won an Alumni award?

I feel incredibly honoured to be recognised in such a capacity. I was simply doing what I loveempowering and providing a platform for young women to identify and achieve their potential!

It is great that Mannix has set up these awards to recognise the incredible contribution that past members in the Mannix community are making. It was inspiring to see and hear the journey of the other awardees and to see the love and memories many people have created throughout their college years.

I would like to pay special thanks to my Nominator, I know who you are and you are set out to do incredible things! I would also like to thank my family and friends who have always supported me and encouraged me to do the best that I can, I am who I am because of all of you.

What was your favourite memory of your time at Mannix College?

It is hard to pick! I have so many incredible memories but the common

denominator in all of them are the friends that I made. My greatest friends are from Mannix; we grew into adulthood whilst in college, we have been through the stressors of study, the curveballs life throws at us and the joys of stepping out into the world as adults. The friends that I have made have been the best thing I ever gained from my time in college.

Can you tell us anything about your time at Mannix College that you think has made a positive impact on your life and/or career since?

I had a wonderful time at Mannix. Coming from rural Victoria, moving into the outer suburbs of Melbourne was a huge culture shock, but I was grateful to belong to a community that supported me and provided me with a sense of home amongst many like-minded people. Mannix was also a source of endless opportunity. The connections that I made have played a huge role in my life and career thus far

What’s the best piece of advice you can give to Mannix College students and young alumni?

I say this all the time but I truly think it has been one of the most valuable things for me - Say “yes” to opportunity, don’t limit yourself to doing only the things you know, be okay with putting yourself outside of your comfort zone, experience new things and meet new people, it is the best way to grow and learn in this world. Every person and experience has something to teach you about life or yourself and this can help you navigate this ever changing world. And one last piece of advice, hold onto your people, the friends you make in college truly span a lifetime. A person is a person because of the people around them so surround yourself with people that enrich you and support each other through the twists and turns life throws your way

Outstanding Alumni Award

Jason Clymo

Jason Clymo (2013), the winner of the Outstanding Alumni Award demonstrated personal qualities of grit, leadership and an unwavering commitment to creating a positive social change as an advocate and ally. Despite the tragic accident at a nightspot leaving him paralysed from the waist down, Jason didn’t let this terrible accident stop him, nor define him. Rather, turned his energy and talents to breaking down barriers in fashion, youth leadership and disability advocacy.

think has made a positive impact on your life and/or career since? It might sound corny, but my time at Mannix was very formative for me. In the 2 years I spent at Mannix, I turned 18, came out as Queer to my friends and family, realised my life-long “dream” of being a doctor wasn’t actually what I wanted to do with my life, and made a heap of friends - some of which I would say will be my closest friends for the rest of my life.

What’s the best piece of advice you can give to Mannix College students and young alumni?

Find out more about Tony below:

How did it feel to reconnect with the Mannix community at the Gryphon Gala?

Learn more about Jason below:

How did it feel to reconnect with the Mannix community at the Gryphon Gala?

It was amazing to reconnect with a heap of people I hadn’t spoken to for years. I loved hearing about where everyone was at, where they were working, who was married or engaged, who had travelled where - all of it. It was a heap of fun, and reminded me why I loved my time at Mannix so much - the people. I look forward to staying more connected from now on!

How does it feel to have won an Alumni award?

Honestly, I was very surprised. On paper, I wouldn’t say I’m the ‘model student’ or the best advocate for going to uni. I dropped out after my second year, and I started a company in a completely different field to what I was studying. It was very humbling to hear what the other award-winners have achieved, and to be held in that same level of respect is pretty special. I’m proud of myself and what I have achieved but never really imagined I’d be given an award for it, so I’m also very grateful - especially to whoever nominated me and the selection committee.

Can you tell us anything about your time at Mannix College that you

I would say to use this time to really connect with people, have a heap of fun, and discover what you’re actually interested in or passionate about. Use your time to really work out if the course you’ve chosen and the career pathway you’re on is something that you really want to do. There’s so many options, and the idea that we’ll choose the “right course” or “right career” the first time around, is kind of ridiculous. So be patient with yourself, and follow the pathway that you enjoy the most. You’re going to spend a fair chunk of your life working, so why not do everything you can to make sure you enjoy it.

Outstanding Alumni Award Tony Johnson

Tony Johnson (1985), the winner of the Outstanding Alumni Award was an MCSS President during his time at College and learnt the art of leadership. His personal and professional qualities represent all that is great about the opportunities Mannix College provides to its students.

Recognising the importance of friendship and connection, Tony was integral in the establishment of the Mannix Old Collegians Association and took on the role of its first President. Above and beyond their professional skill, Tony has been instrumental in the positive development of a number of Mannix Alumni, providing advice, mentorship and career-enabling opportunities.

Most recently, he also joined the Mannix Foundation Council and supported the creation of a community of donors who are helping the College to affirm its future. Therefore, Tony is a clear example of our College motto - Omnia Omnibus, All things to all People.

Great to see so many familiar faces back in the familiar environment of Mannix. While many of my closest friends are Mannix alumni and I see them regularly, it was fantastic to have a chance to see those alumni I don’t see so often – it is a special feeling to seamlessly slip back into a conversation as if we last chatted yesterday rather than over 30 years ago. Also, a sense of appreciation for the opportunity and the stable foundation Mannix College provided me to smoothly and safely transition from school to university and regional Victoria to Melbourne.

What was your favourite memory of your time at Mannix College?

Definitely the fun times with great people - both the formal or organised events like the Mannix Ball, O-week, Folk Night, Rocky Horror or Thursday night in the JCR but also the unplanned and informal events that just happened!

What’s the best piece of advice you can give to Mannix College students and young alumni?

Embrace all the opportunities that Mannix and university life provides –don’t miss the chance to be bold and “have a go” at trying something new. Make the most of meeting as many people as you can, especially those different to you – you learn so much without even knowing it.

What is your favourite thing about Mannix?

The opportunity to meet and build friendships with amazing and distinctive people and learn from their different skills, backgrounds and experiences. The learnings can be big or small - tips on settling into life in Melbourne, perspectives on local and global affairs, study or exam hints or advice for preparing life after Mannix and career opportunities – all hugely and positively impactful!

Staff Recognition Award

Connie Neilson, the winner of the Staff Recognition Award is an unsung hero of Mannix College who achieved significant professional achievements within their 38 year career at the College. She played an integral role in contributing to dining hall and meals on wheel operations, serving thousands upon thousands of meals - all of them, with a smile. Her genuine care for the students was shown through knowing each and everyone’s names, knowing what questions to ask about their days and doing her best to make everyone feel at home. The impact of this personal touch has had a profoundly positive impact on the lives of many thousands of Collegians.

Find out more about Connie below:

How did it feel to reconnect with the Mannix community at the Gryphon Gala?

It was a pleasure to be there on the night to reconnect with past students from over the years.

How does it feel to have won a Staff award?

It was an Honour to be awarded the first Alumni/ Staff Award. I would like to thank everybody that voted for me from the bottom of my heart.

What’s the best piece of advice you can give to Mannix College students and young alumni?

Enjoy your time at Mannix, be kind to yourself and have respect for your fellow students.

What is your favourite thing about Mannix?

The connection I was able to have with the students.

Thanking our amazing staff

In December, Principal Swan celebrated staff who had served the College for 5, 10, and 15 years or more. 11 staff were recognised with awards that celebrated a grand total of 127 years of service!

Principal Swan said, “we are so proud to have a team who genuinely enjoy the opportunity to support students. Our staff are amazing, and those who have served the College for long periods are an inspiration to us all. Well done to you all!”

Congratulations to all award winners:

5+ Years of Service

-Sarah Morrison

-Murugaveyl Govindasamy

10+ Years of Service

-Dom Kilduff

-Mercedes Barner

-Michelle Cunningham

-Janice St Ledger

-Joel Doolan

-Jason Munckhof

-Valerie Young

15+ Years of Service

-Mary Ann Sabo

-Adam Van Rooyen

Alumni Spotlight

Mannix Old Collegians have gone on to make significant contributions to Australia and the world. They are positive community members, represented in Parliaments, are leaders in academia, business, agriculture, military, law, sport, education and have been awarded elite global scholarships. The College is thankful for its alumni community and their ongoing support of the College and its residents.

Amelia Moulis (2011) is an Old Collegian living life to the full. Currently the Impact Manager for the Karrkad Kanjdji Trust, Amelia says that while she was at Mannix she was involved in every part of the community. Here, Amelia answers our questions about her time since Mannix and gives some advice to Mannixians.

What was your professional journey from student to now?

My “adult” life has been an evolving journey of finding what motivates me. I studied Arts as a Monash undergraduate, majoring in creative writing and linguistics, and I also hold a Master of Environment (Science) from the University of Melbourne.

My professional experience includes food journalism in New York, brand consulting in LA, being a Director for a global health NGO and teaching environmental sustainability at the University of Cambridge. I am now combining grassroots project support as an Impact Manager for an Indigenous conservation trust in the remote NT, the Karrkad Kanjdji Trust, with top-down influence as Program Advisor with the Monash Sustainable Development Institute.

What would you say about your time at Mannix?

It was certainly a whirlwind. From the first moment I arrived, I was “hook, line and sinker” involved in every single part of college life that I could fit into the day. This meant participating in the college musical and sports teams, performing at formal dinners, raising money for charities and representing Mannix at the National Association of Australian University Colleges conference – as well as the carefree parts of college life that I now look back on in wonderment.

What advice would you give to future Mannixians?

My main advice would be to spend this time identifying what kinds of activities and people match your own interests and values, and avoid the trap of trying to be all things to all people. This is your chance for experimenting and learning more about yourself which will set you up for whatever post-Mannix life holds. It’s a time to develop your sense of self (while also having lots of fun, of course!). Make sure you listen to your instincts and lessons along the way to gradually build up a stronger sense of who you are and where you choose to put your boundaries.

Tell us something interesting about you that not many people know.

I was an unsuccessful applicant to the Great British Bake Off in 2020. I spent a few months during Covid times pumping out miso caramel eclairs, Nutella braided brioche stars, olive and harissa ciabatta, chocolate and peanut butter tarts, passionfruit shortbread and almond puff pastry galettes. Despite not making the final cut, those in covid lockdown nearby still got to enjoy the fruits of my practice baking shared out of my kitchen window in Oxford, so not all was lost.

Student Spotlight

by Cailin Green

This year at Mannix, I was fortunate enough to be asked to make a speech about my experiences playing cricket, a male-dominated sport and explain what it has been like as a woman, watching the game become more inclusive. I gave the speech at a formal dinner that recognised other females identifying people’s accomplishments and their experiences in male-dominated industries. I spoke about my journey from playing cricket at a local club back home and how I never really knew that girls could play cricket until a friend suggested I should come and try it out when I was in high school. I started off playing with the junior boys which of course had its ups and downs but for some reason, I was more oblivious to the casual sexism I received compared to my other friends. Maybe it was just the club or because my Mum and Dad always encouraged me to compete, be involved and not care about what anyone thought. However, it was certainly there.

Over the next few years, there was a new surprise and revelation around every corner.

My dad enrolled me in a coaching clinic and by chance, I met one of the biggest influencers of my game, Graham Yallop. Graham coached me from that day onwards and taught me everything I know about cricket. Then, I discovered the regional pathway program, Northern Rivers which I trialled for and then travelled to Melbourne to play. This was my first experience playing with other girls and I was amazed to meet so many people that were like me. It was this tournament that sparked an invitation to play Premier cricket for Carlton-Brunswick (now Carlton cricket club).

Premier Cricket is the highest level of cricket in Victoria behind state but the pathways were never talked about for girls, so I had no idea what I was getting myself into. However, the girls that I currently play with at Carlton are like my second family. I do not have the words to express how special they are to me. Another big influencer of my game is Sophie Reid from Carlton who has mentored me as a player and leader over the past two years and it is a relationship that I cherish and am forever grateful for.

I managed to break my way into the junior state program and was part of the under-19s Vic country team for two years before being selected for the Emerging Players Program for 2022/23 (Vic 2nd XI). The change in awareness of the women’s game has truly been a moving era to be a part of.

No one knew in 2016 that the Australian Women’s cricket team were the number 1 ranked team in every format of the game but increasing sponsorship and coverage deals have done wonders. Now, more and more female cricketers are becoming household names and more people understand how dominant the Australian Women’s team is. I am proud that I have been able to witness the change and loved to see more little girls getting involved in cricket. One moment I will never forget was the 2020 ICC women’s T20 world cup final held on international women’s day. It was truly a momentous occasion to be a part of and proved that women belong on the cricket field just as much as anyone.

Student Spotlight

by Chloe Curwin-Begg

A bit of a backstory: my grandma, an incredible designer, entrepreneur and role model, was a fashion designer and pattern maker since 1955, at the age of 15. She has done some remarkable things in her time, from running her own factory to creating the first catsuit. It is from my grandma that I get my “passion for fashion” I guess you could say. One of my earliest memories is going to work with her, where she had a scrap bucket of offcuts from her garments, of which I would create extremely elaborate gowns and ‘couture’ pieces.

Fast forward to today, where I, Chloe Curwen-Begg, am the owner and creative director of Ninety Nine Official. I started Ninety Nine during the pandemic in 2021 and launched my first collection 6 months later in December of 2021, and from there, I have since created and launched three collections, of which I am extremely proud.

I started Ninety Nine to design unique pieces of clothing for everyone, every size, every age, every gender, and so on. Growing up, my style drifted towards what society would perceive as “masculine”, and whilst I never really cared what people said about me, it made me think about just how subconsciously judgemental society is. It shouldn’t matter what you wear or how you wear it, so I designed something everyone can wear with a different positive message in each collection. With the saying “exclusively inclusive”, I can proudly say that Ninety Nine Official is exactly that.

I often get asked why I called it Ninety Nine, and the reason is probably a bit different to what you might think. It was meant to be my name, yes, my parents were going to name me Ninety Nine, and part of me wishes they did. So I named my brand Ninety Nine Official.

As far as the business side of things goes, you could say I was naive. I have seen my grandma and my mum run successful businesses, many at a time even, and made it look so easy. I can say for certain now, it’s no mean feat, however, I can also say that it is the most rewarding feeling when you get even just the slightest amount of positive feedback. I have definitely hit some road bumps along the way, big and small, and I have many more to come, but with each bump, I have learnt so much more.

I cannot attest all my success thus far to myself, this would not have been possible without the supportive network of my friends, family, and even strangers. Everyone who has been a part of the journey has been incredible and I couldn’t have done it without any of them.

Lots of love, Chloé.

Mannix Moments

Tutoring Program

Residency at Mannix affords students access to academic support through formal tutorials designed to complement the learning they receive within their faculty at Monash University. The College continues to enjoy a welldeserved reputation for its inspiring academic environment with scholarly performance that exceeds the Monash University average. This year the College employed 38 outstanding

Our Tutors:

tutors, scholars themselves, who inspired students to explore their field of study in greater depth. We are thankful to our wonderful team of tutors for supporting residents to achieve their academic potential, and in helping the College to obtain a Distinction Average!

Resident feedback about the quality of the tutoring program was strong this year with:

• 92% of students rated our tutorial program as meeting or exceeding expectations

• 96% of students found tutorials to be interactive and enjoyable

• 95% of students repor ted that our tutors knew their subject matter well and were well prepared.

Rohan Trent Patrick Olivia

Nick Luis Kelly Kate Jordan Jess

Nicola

Jemima Jasmin

James Hui Holly Fan

Eliza Anushka Anabelle

Amy Alexandra Alexander

Tutor Spotlight

We are lucky to have a team of kind and clever tutors at Mannix but this year we say farewell to one of our beloved Medicine tutors, Kate Wilcox (2017), who is moving on to new adventures.

How long have you tutored at Mannix?

I started tutoring back in 2019. I had a brief hiatus in early 2020 when I was placed rurally but I was fortunate enough to return via Zoom throughout the second half of that year. All up I’ve been tutoring at Mannix for about 3.5 years.

Aside from tutoring, what is your connection with Mannix?

I attended Mannix as a resident in 2017/18.

Favourite thing about being a tutor?

The students that I have taught over the years challenge me to continue learning and bettering myself as a student and a teacher. They - and their terrible mnemonics and memory tools - are the reason I keep coming back.

Most rewarding thing about being a tutor?

Having someone go from not understanding something to understanding it - the ‘ohhhh’/ ‘aha!’ moment - there is nothing more satisfying than that!

National Reconciliation Week

We embraced the National Reconciliation Week theme “Be Brave. Make Change” with a Principal’s Dinner and workshop that called Mannixians to step forward and drive reconciliation on a daily basis. The conversation was led by Mannix Old Collegian and Gunditjmara man Tom Molyneux (2010) who joined via Zoom, Principal Andrew Swan, current Indigenous students and student leaders.

Tom Molyneux toured the nation in 2022 with The Mission; a show he wrote, directed and starred in. It follows the journey of “Fighting

Gunditjmara” man, Allan McDonald – one of the first Aboriginal soldiers from Victoria to enlist for the war. He fought at Gallipoli and Beersheba, only to be denied a soldier’s settlement on his ultimate return to Australia and forced from his land at the Lake Condah Mission. This captivating and rollicking story, told by his great, great nephew, Tom, tells the truth of Uncle Allan’s struggle; fighting for Country, for love, and for justice. Well done, Tom!

New to Mannix in 2022, Principal’s Dinners are a series of occasional dinners designed to offer Mannixians the opportunity to:

Where are you off to next year?

Next year I am excited to start my career as a junior doctor at Peninsula Health. I hope that I might bump into some of my past students as they continue their placements/careers.

Where and what do you hope to be doing in five years’ time?

In five years, I hope to be a bit surer of what I want to do within medicine and be pursuing that. However, if I am instead still taking my time to decide I would be just as happy travelling, working as a locum doctor and volunteering my time in whatever capacity I am most useful.

Do you have any advice for someone considering tutoring at Mannix?

Teaching is by far the best way to learn. If you have the opportunity to tutor I would highly recommend taking it up!

1. Connect over good food in an intimate setting

2. Engage with a guest speaker who has stories to tell

3. Explore adventurous ideas about work, study, life and our world

Mentoring the Next Generation

The College’s inaugural Student and Alumni Mentoring Program (StAMP) was a huge success with a cohort of 13 current residents matched with an Old Collegian, within the industry they hoped to move into, and formed a mentor-mentee relationship.

Among the mentors were two of our Rhodes Scholars and a Fulbright Scholar! Over three months, each pair worked together to establish mutually beneficial professional interactions to share advice about life, study, pathways after University and gaining an employability edge.

Three tailored workshops helped to guide mentors and mentees in their exploration of concepts relating to the importance of staying true to personal values; creating a personal brand; affirming interpersonal skills; overcoming career roadblocks and

obstacles; industry networking and applying for jobs. 100% of participants said that they would highly recommend this program to other Old Collegians and students.

Here are some reflections: Jessica Demeo (mentee) said, “the Mannix StAMP program allowed me to gain beneficial insights from industry professionals both within my own future profession and from others. Learning the crucial steps in building a solid foundation for not only your career, but yourself as an individual, was invaluable and many of the skills learnt through these sessions I will be able to apply to my future career and development.”

Jakob Malouf’s (mentor) reflected by sharing, “I was pleasantly surprised to be asked to participate in StAMP. This program, while in its infancy, has been an absolute pleasure to

be a part of. Gaining experience in a mentorship role has been fulfilling and eye-opening for me, and I’ve been really impressed with the drive and motivation of all the mentees. Thanks to StAMP I will have more confidence in supporting those earlier in their careers, and taking on an active role in guiding my junior peers.”

Charlie Roache (mentee) said, “StAMP was not only well organised, but incredibly individualised: an attribute that’s exceedingly hard to come by, and one that allowed a meaningful, rewarding experience.”

Overall, the College is really excited to build upon the momentum from this year’s pilot and grow it for next year and beyond.

1969-1973 Old Colls Social Lunch

Some memories last just a moment but for our Mannix College first residents, 50 years of shared history is flooding back in a new series of social get-togethers.

Launched in May this year, Old Colls from the first five years of the College (1969-1973) hosted the first of their social lunches at a hotel in South Melbourne. Those in attendance enjoyed good food and great conversation as our original residents celebrated the friendships they forged at Mannix and the incredible lives they’ve led since. This pioneering group built a spirited Mannix culture that resonates today.

We recognise and honour them for starting many of the traditions that we still hold dear, such as the annual Mannix College ball - a tradition first started in 1969 by some of these Old Colls and their mates.

With special thanks to organisers Dave Ryan (1969), Des Powell (1969) and Ron Storey (1969) who are coordinating these social events with support from the College.

If you would like to attend future 1969-1973 Old Colls social lunches or know someone else who would, email us for details at: mannix.alumni@monash.edu

Mannix 1969-1973 Old Colls enjoying a social lunch in October 2022. From left to right: Neil Kilpatrick, Des Powell, Michael Glass, James Derum (foreground), Austin Hoban, John Kindellan, David Deutscher, Mike Whitehead, Ron Storey (at rear), Peter Larkins, Mark Peters, Lloyd Thomas, Peter Dwyer, Andrew Rogers, Dave Ryan, Barry Coulthard, Simon Fraser.

Newman Lecture

Since 1981, the Newman Lecture series has been a major annual event on the College calendar. The series provides a prominent Australian with the opportunity to share their views on aspects of our society- with past topics discussing cultural, political, social, moral and religious life.

The Mannix community gathered on August 17 for the annual Newman Lecture which was delivered by Fr Frank Brennan SJ AO who is a Jesuit priest and Rector of Newman College at the University of Melbourne.

Titled, ‘The Path to a Referendum: From Uluru via Garma to Canberra and on to the People’, Fr Brennan’s speech posed essential questions facing our nation, including: what is the Uluru Statement from the Heart, what does reconciliation and truthtelling look like, and how might the history of referendums in Australia influence today’s efforts towards an Indigenous voice to parliament?

“There has been a lot said about the Uluru Statement in the last three months since the election of the Albanese Labor Government. Speaking at my father’s funeral in June, Senator Patrick Dodson, Special Envoy for Reconciliation and the Implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, said, ‘Today’s invitation by First Nations “to walk with us” in the Uluru Statement from the Heart holds up to all Australians the need for Voice, Treaty and Truth as the way to redress the tyranny of our indigenous dispossession. Injustice and illegality as the foundational pillars of our nationhood can perhaps be discarded to the wastebasket of history”, Fr Brennan said.

Following the Lecture, the College and guests enjoyed a Formal Dinner where Indigenous residents of our College and Old Collegian Inala Cooper (1992) spoke about their experiences as First Nations people. Inala is the Director of Murrup Barak, the Melbourne Institute for Indigenous Development at the University of Melbourne and her book ‘Marrul: Aboriginal Identity & the Fight for Rights’ has just been released by Monash University Publishing.

The College was honoured to host current residents, members of the College Council and Foundation Council, alumni, Fellows and special guests from the Archdiocese of Melbourne, Monash University, the William Cooper Institute, Newman College and St Mary’s College at the event.

Mannix has long been committed to supporting First Nations students studying at Monash University. Today’s First Nations residents follow in the footsteps of First Nations Old Collegians such as Mick Dodson, Inala Cooper and Tom Molyneux who have gone on to lead positive change for the benefit of the nation. The Newman Lecture was built upon earlier events and conversations held at Mannix during Reconciliation Week.

About Father Frank Brennan SJ AO

Father Brennan is a Jesuit priest and Rector of Newman College at the University of Melbourne. He has been appointed a peritus at the Fifth Plenary Council of the Catholic Church in Australia. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the PM Glynn Institute, an Adjunct Professor at the Thomas

More Law School at the Australian Catholic University, and a research professor at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture. He was previously the CEO of Catholic Social Services Australia. He chaired the National Human Rights Consultation for the Rudd Government and was a member of the Turnbull Government’s expert panel which conducted the Religious Freedom Review. The Morrison Government appointed him to the Voice Co-Design Senior Advisory Group to help guide the CoDesign process to develop options for an Indigenous voice for Government. Previous Newman Lecturers include:

• Prof Margaret Gardner

• Prof Bryan Horrigan

• Prof Ed Byrne

• Prof Glyn Davis

• Chief Justice Marilyn Warren AC

• Revd Timothy Costello

• Mr Paulie Stewar t

• Mr Julian McMahon

• His Hon Richard Niall QC

• Bishop Eric D’Arcy

• Mr Robyn Williams

• Dr Colin Clark

• Revd Edmund Campion

• Mrs Dorothy Green

• Mr Ronldo Giurgola

• Sir Edward Dunlop

• Archbishop Stylianos

• Prof Lachlan Chipman

• Prof Max Charleswor th

• Senator Michael Tate

• Dr Veronica Brady IBVM

• Ms Moira Kelly

• Mr Terence Donovan

• Dr Simon Cateron

• Dr John Armstrong

• E/Prof Gabrielle McMullen

• Dr Peter Tregear

The Many Faces Of Mannix

MCSS Ball

On May 13, Mannix College was able to recommence its annual College Ball. Delivered by the Mannix College Student Society, ‘Horrorball’ was an incredible night held at the stunning Timber Yard in South Melbourne with headliner Thundamentals putting on an amazing show full of high energy. Jacob Fitzgerald, DJs Jedd and BONES were also outstanding performers on the night and had

everyone on the dance floor. A range of guests attended including residents, Old Collegians, Monash students and many friends of residents from all parts of Australia. Everyone was excited to finally get dressed up again where the flower wall backdrop and light-up ball sign certainly became a popular photoshoot destination on the night. Quality refreshments and pancakes

made by the Red Frogs were also well enjoyed by the guests. Everyone was so grateful to finally see Ball come to life in 2022 after 2021 saw us having to cancel Ball so close to its date due to COVID lockdowns. The night couldn’t have gone any better and I am so grateful to everyone involved in making it such a magical night.

Mannix Choir

This year we revitalised the Mannix Maggi Choir. Maggi was created in 2021 through the efforts of Arabella Allen. We were excited to bring all the voices of Mannix back together again this year. No matter your singing abilities, if you were a Fresher or a Returner, Maggi was created to be a safe space for everyone. The choir was about having fun and making some noise away from the study books.

Arabella led some creative warmups in our weekly rehearsals, including ‘sound scapes’ where you could use as much creativity with your voice as you wanted. Maddie Jeffery-Moore and Sidney White were wonderful leaders in our first semester of Maggi, both having a background in singing in choirs. It was difficult to find times to rehearse in the busy Mannix weekly timetable, but when we did, it was brilliant fun.

We chose to put together the classic song ‘Unwritten’ for our feature performance at the Formal Dinner. Ned Cambridge accompanied the choir on acoustic guitar, and we all sang in harmony. Overall, Maggi was great to have throughout the first semester as a study break and an opportunity for friendships to be made.

Formal Dinners

Commencement

On March 9, the Commencement Celebration Formal Dinner invited all members and friends of the Mannix community to gather and mark the beginning of their year together.

We were fortunate enough to be joined by friends and supporters of Mannix, including Archbishop Peter Comensoli, Professor Susan Elliott, Bishop Tony Ireland, Father Robert Krishna, Professor Bryan Horrigan, James Fitzpatrick, and Jamil Tye.

Principal Swan spoke about our College motto, ‘Omnia Omnibus,’ which means “all things to all people.” The personal motto of our namesake, Archbishop Daniel Mannix, whose life was one of service in pursuit of a better world. Therefore, this formal dinner encouraged everyone to bring Omnia Omnibus to life in their daily endeavours.

Service & Leadership

On March 23, the Service and Leadership Formal Dinner provided a chance for residents to gain an understanding of what leadership at Mannix means - a College where everyone can have a go.

Student Spotlight

On April 27, the Student Spotlight Formal Dinner was an inspiring night for all. It was a night to acknowledge and celebrate the everyday achievements of our residents, the things that make them unique. Mannix recognises the success of all its residents no matter how big or small, including achievements made outside of academics.

They discovered the opportunities that are available to them at Mannix and the ways they can contribute. Through the provision of allocated seating, students were encouraged to meet new people and network while also gaining an understanding of what the Sub-Committee is.

Spectacular students in the Mannix College community were showcased. Cailin Green spoke about her experiences as a female in a male-dominated sport while Chloe Curwen spoke about her experience starting a clothing brand.

Old Collegian Geoffrey Pascoe & MSA

On May 11, we welcomed back Mannix alumnus and Rhodes Scholar Geoffrey Pascoe (2007), and his wife Christie. Geoff shared his journey from Mildura to Mannix, Facebook to Oxford, and the opportunities of his current work in med-tech.

For the first time, we hosted a ‘Campus Community Conversation’ at a Formal Dinner with representatives from the Monash Student Association (MSA) in attendance. The dinner was designed to build connections between Mannix and the various clubs and communities at the Monash Clayton campus. Matthew Chipman, President of MSA Clubs and Societies about the Monash campus community and the value of the extracurricular life of the university.

Shout-out to our incredible performers, Allegra Colin-Thorne and Izac Grantham who performed ‘Skyfall’ and Asvini Allada who performed the Hindi song ‘Kabira’.

Thank you to the following representatives from the MSA for joining us:

Andrew McGaw - 2022 Vice President, Society of Arts Students

Ashleigh Butcher - 2022 President, Monash Vegan Society

Elisa Salvador - 2022 President, Atmospheric, Geosciences Environmental Society

Ishka De Silva - 2022 President, Monash Student Association

Joshua Strauss - 2022 Secretary, Monash Student Association / Mannix Old Collegian

Maya Hammam - 2022 President, Society of Arts Students

Rachel Berger - 2022 President, Music and Theatre Society

Sam Robinson - 2022 President, TeamMED / Mannix Old Collegian

Sophie Palmer - 2022 Treasurer, Atmospheric, Geosciences Environmental Society

Tess Kent - 2022 President, MONSU Peninsula

Campus Community Connections

On May 25, the Campus Community Connections Formal Dinner held on May 25 focused on connecting our students with interesting people, big ideas and opportunities to develop the requisite skills and character to succeed at university and beyond.

A new initiative in 2022, this dinner encouraged stronger relationships between Mannix, Monash Residential Services (MRS) and the broader campus community. We were glad to be joined by guests like Pro ViceChancellor (Major Campuses and Student Engagement) at Monash University, Professor David Copolov AO, Old Collegian Charlee Hawkes (2018), and representatives from MRS.

Christmas in July

Ho ho ho! On July 27 we welcomed the arrival of Semester 2 with a Christmas in July-themed Formal Dinner featuring our very own Santa (AKA MCSS President Aidan Hanrahan), carols and delicious pudding. Eager to share our spirit with those less fortunate, our community placed hundreds of items under our Christmas tree which were donated to the St Vincent de Paul Society charity drive.

Thank you to Ross Macmull and Mark Shannon from the St Vincent de Paul Society for joining us and speaking to our community about the importance of volunteering, the spirit of giving and ways we can support others in need.

Sara James and Respectful Communities

On August 10, residents were given the opportunity to hear from Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist Sara James.

Sara is a featured commentator on Australia’s ABC News Breakfast and previously guest-anchored on the news desk of the NBC Today Show. She reported on the Taliban, modern-day slavery in Sudan, the Bosnian War Crimes Tribunal, Australia’s Stolen Generation and 9/11. Sara is also a Director of the American Australian Association Limited, a Director of the Australian-American Fulbright Commission, and a founding member of GETA - Genetic Epilepsy Team Australia

Sara shared stories from her incredible life, including her experiences of 9/11 in NYC and visiting the Titanic wreck (read more about Sara

below). As thanks for all that Sara gave to us, Mannix students together donated 50 hours of volunteer time to support the KCNQ2 Foundation which Sara co-leads.

We were also joined by Renee Heckman, Senior Trainer, Respectful Communities at Monash University who spoke about the important work Respectful Communities does to foster an inclusive and equitable Monash community. Renee’s speech reflect on the Mannix commitment and progress made to being a safe and respectful community for young people to develop toward the best version of themselves.

Special thanks to our MCs, Emily Fryett and Lloyd Butcher, and our performers, Madeline Jeffrey-Moore and Izaac Grantham.

Floor Performance

On September 14, Floor Performance Formal Dinner celebrated the creativity and diversity of floor culture across the College. Congratulations to all our residents who tried their hardest and put in the effort to rehearse and put together such a fun and enjoyable floor performance event.

Performances included:

• Bot-East: A story of forbidden romance, where Bot-East meets Taylor Swift

• Bot-West: A loose rendition of the beloved Snow White and the seven dwarfs titled, “Single dad and the 42 dwarfs” featuring Bruno Mars and DMX

• Mid-East: A chilly performance of Frozen

• Mid-West: A performance of Shrek from far far away

• Top-East: The princess and the frog - Melbourne 2022.

• Top-West: Under the sea

Congratulations to Top-West for their victorious performance taking first place in the 2022 Floor Performance Formal Dinner!

Valete

On October 11, the Valete Formal Dinner was the second last formal dinner of the year. Valete showed gratitude to each floor and as a community, we celebrated the winner of the College Super Floor Competition. Students dressed up in their floor colours to show pride while each floor leader shared some of their favourite moments from the year.

Congratulations to Mid-East Floor for winning the College Super Floor Competition for 2022 and to all residents for being active contributors to Mannix’s life and culture. Our College is special because of you! It

doesn’t take long until your floor at Mannix becomes your family and these very diverse families create many memories together.

Principal Swan said, “Valete is our opportunity to share and celebrate many things that have brought us together this year. Our community has done amazing things with all residents playing their part in making Mannix a safe and inclusive ‘home away from home’ this year. The student leaders led with passion this year and this shone brightly at Valete. As they always do, our wonderful catering team led by Peter served an incredible feast for us to enjoy and so we are very thankful to them”

Annual Dinner

It was a night of beautiful views of the Yarra River, a bit of magic from Josh Stayley and some outrageous dance moves from our residents. Mannix College’s Annual Dinner at Leonda on the Yarra did not disappoint.

The evening commenced with some light canapes and the building of excitement for the awards and dancing to follow. As residents entered the main dining area - the curtains were drawn revealing the beautiful Yarra River. Residents captured the moment with phones/ cameras clicking away.

Georgia Doyle as MC for the evening provided just the right tone - allowing the crowd to enjoy but maintaining composure as she introduced the MCSS President Aidan Hanrahan to offer his reflections on the year that was and to offer a warm introduction for Mannix College Principal Andrew Swan.

Andrew furthered Aidan’s sentiments of growth and opportunity and highlighted how the Mannix Motto ‘Omni Omnibus’ was seen in so many of our residents of 2022. Award winners included MOCA Gold Collegian Award

winner Sidney White, Principal’s Award for Academic Collegian of the Year Elena Wall and the Student Achievement Award for Madeleine Jeffrey-Moore. Marcus Munro received a standing ovation for a special award for Contributions to College Life.

The Annual Dinner offered all things to all people - a picturesque setting, fantastic food and the opportunity to celebrate the year that was 2022 for Mannix College.

The Vice Chancellor’s Ancora Imparo Leadership Program

by Alexander Unmack

The Vice Chancellor’s Ancora Imparo Leadership Program is Monash University’s most prestigious leadership development offering. It offers second-year undergraduates the opportunity to join like-minded people and learn from leading figures about their leadership experience and life skills. Each year, hundreds of students apply for the forty available places. Testament to the strong leadership culture within our College community, Mannix residents have often been selected for the program. In 2022, Alexander Unmack was chosen for the program and four Mannixians have been selected for 2023.

This year I had the opportunity to participate in the Ancora Imparo Program.

The eight seminars provide Ancorans with an opportunity to develop their leadership skills and gain an

understanding of current issues through the lens of their peers. As a group of 40 Monash students, we met once a month over the course of the year to discuss leadership influences in different sectors of the workforce and general aspects of everyday life.

Further, the program represents a rare opportunity to engage with students across a varying array of faculties and specialisations. This interdisciplinary interaction and collaboration cannot be found elsewhere, enhancing the value for all involved.

Many unique elements made up the program. We participated in a 3-day residential which was a combination of discussions with inspiring guest speakers, interactive workshops and challenging activities. From speakers dedicated to charity activities to experienced political leaders and Ancoran alumni, we had the chance to learn about different aspects of

being effective leaders in our society. The defining feature of the program was the opportunity to present a syndicate presentation, surrounding a topic that addressed one of the many current issues within modernday society. We learned so much from these seminars as well as had the opportunity to view issues from multiple different perspectives.

Overall, it was an incredible experience to watch the members of the program break apart their topics among themselves and provide us with key insight into certain issues including volunteerism, racism, generation gaps, globalisation and many more.

Our experience with the program has been incredibly rewarding, from which we have learned a great deal and made a lot of new friends that we will be sharing our journey with.

College Dogs

Living away from home often means leaving furry friends behind but at Mannix you can enjoy the company of Joe and Alma, our two furry celebrities. Belonging to Dean of Students & Wellbeing, Annie, Joe is a cheeky border collie boy who’s constantly sniffing out treats to eat and muffins to steal. Belonging to Business Manager, Dom, Alma is a lovely little cavoodle who loves sitting on laps, busy keeping Joe at bay.

Students are constantly visiting our adorable pooches to de-stress with a dose of cuteness and even getting some exercise by taking them out on walks. They greet everyone with butt wiggles, never failing to put a smile on everyone’s faces promoting a fun and happy culture throughout the College.

Our Talented Musicians

Open Days

To give future Mannixians and their families ample opportunities to discover the facilities and culture of Mannix, we held an Open Day in conjunction with the Monash Open Day on August 8 as well as two Mini Open Days on September 25 and December 17.

On Open Day, there was a ‘Discussions Tent’ set up at Monash University directing students and families to visit and tour our College while answering any queries they had. We also had our key mascot ‘Dell’Oro’ putting a smile on everyone’s faces as they took photos together.

The Mini Open Days involved a personalised, guided tour paired with delicious food and the opportunity

to meet current students. It was the perfect opportunity for those who missed out on Open Day to come by and mingle with Mannix residents and staff while getting all their questions answered.

Thank you to the many staff and students volunteers who shared their passion for all-things-Mannix at our Open Days.

Grease: The Musical

The Junior Common Room transformed into Rydell High as residents delivered an electrifying performance of Grease: The Musical. The College Play is an annual event on the College calendar, allowing residents to express their creativity and talent across performance, costume and set design, stage management and musical direction. It is coordinated entirely by the student body, with the MCSS Culture Representative (Hannah Lippiatt) acting as the director and key organiser.

The first day was exclusively for Mannixians to see the show for the very first time. On the second day invited alumni and friends to watch as they reminisced back to the days when they too performed in the College Play. The third day was for the wider public and was generally the best run of the team.

“2022’s production of Grease was everything I could have hoped for. From the very first rehearsal, the energy among the cast & crew was

incredibly joyous, constructive, and enthusiastic. I cannot thank these people enough. In particular, I would like to thank my fantastic Assistant Director, Sidney White, and Stage Manager, Louis Miller; I simply could not have done it without you guys! Grease was a massive success, with us smashing our ticket sale goals, and some audience members returning for all three nights! This year’s play was a highlight for many Mannixians, and I’m super excited to see Abby reach new heights in 2023” - Hannah Lippiatt (Director)

Through many hours of hard work from many different students involved, this year’s play was a resounding success.

The Cast:

Isabelle Cummane as Sandy Dumbrowski

Jeremy Bolton as Danny Zuko

The Pink Ladies

Neil Ryan as Betty Rizzo

Maddie Jeffrey-Moore as Marty

Eadie Pfahlert as Jan

Annelli Cook as Frenchy

The T-Birds

Sam Kelly as Kenickie

Hannah Scott as Doody

Will Johnson as Roger

Stephanie Hancock as Sonny Latierri

Featured

Eden Squire as Patty Simcox

Sophie Matheson as Cha-Cha

Digregdrio

Matilda Bland as Eugene Florczyk

Olivia Dimovski as Vince Fontaine

Abby Smyth as Johnny Casino

Alexander Unmack as Teen Angel

Zoe de Paola as Ms Lynch

Dancers

Alyssa Mong

Annie Trotter

Charlotte Semjaniv

Lily Crawford

Sophie Matheson

Stephanie O’May

Ensemble

Abby Smyth

Eden Squire

Elena Wall

Jinuki Senanayake

Matilda Bland

Matilda Hope

Maudie Reading

Olivia Dimovski

Zoe De Paola

NAAUC

by Tippi Morgan

Mannix is a long-time member and supporter of NAAUC (the National Association of Australian University Colleges) which connects our community and leaders with ideas and inspiration from colleges across the country.

In November 2022, I, alongside three MCSS Committee members and two Resident Advisors, had the incredible privilege of attending the NAAUC National conference at St John’s College in Brisbane. NAAUC was founded in 1968 by college students. Its 2022 conference provided training and education to over 100 students from 20 different residential spaces across Australia.

The week-long conference followed a brimming daily routine: 8 am lecture and morning briefing, 9 am-3 pm academics, 3 pm group debrief, and 6 pm-late social activities. The academics, which were coordinated by the NAAUC team (a group of ex-collegians from across Australia), were delivered by both the team and external field experts. They inspired cultural

audits, covering topics like LGBT and POC inclusivity, mental health awareness, and college traditions. They also addressed the more administrative side of leadership, from office bearer responsibilities to strategic planning and collaborating with external stakeholders. However, it was in conversation with other collegians over mealtime, in debrief group meetings and at social events that the themes posed by these academics translated into material events/policies/pathways. To hear and pick apart the learned experiences of other colleges in their events, leadership shortcomings and methods of navigating systemic and cultural issues was invaluable.

The week culminated in the ‘NAAUC Pitch’, wherein each college identified, unpacked and ultimately posed a solution to an ‘issue’ or shortcoming facing their community. Indeed, crafting these pitches fuelled important and fascinating conversations around accessibility gaps, SASH policy, intercollegiate community and cultural safety at colleges.

To put it simply, NAAUC was invigorating. In the wake of semester two exams, there was an unshakeable feeling of burnout and leadership fatigue across our team. Nevertheless, the conference inspired us to look inwards and revisit our motivation as leaders, as well as ponder, plan and get passionate about the ‘bigger picture’ for 2023 and beyond.

Finally, thoughts of college and college leadership crowded my mind for the most part, so it was lovely to be in a space where everyone was equally passionate and eager to discuss all things college!

All in all, we were all in awe of the calibre of the conference and were inspired by our conversations with the other delegates. We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have attended the 2022 conference, and feel indebted to those ex-collegians who delivered the program.

Mullets for Mental Health

by Shiv Dutta

Our College community values leadership and service. Each year, the College and MCSS will deliver community service and fundraising initiatives that seek to build community spirit within our College and to support those in need.

In 2022, the College delivered Mullets for Mental Health and raised a whopping $10,000 for mental health research.

This event supported the Black Dog Institute with a group of Mannixians cutting their beautiful locks to raise both awareness and funds for mental health research.

The issue of mental health, especially in young people, is far-reaching and far closer than we often

realise, but on August 31, the entire college community got together to acknowledge that idea.

Everything from bleached mullets to bald cuts and air benders, the Mannix community got to cherish some interesting hairstyles in the weeks to come.

Many brave students even auctioned off their hair-cutting rights to devious friends all in the name of a noble cause.

The day was ultimately a culmination of a month’s worth of fundraising efforts from the entire Mannix community and featured not only some haircutting but also an outdoor barbecue dinner. An East V West basketball match was played where

East wing was eventually triumphed over by the West, while resident DJ Wheato kept up good vibes on the decks through the night.

All in all, the event was a huge success which saw the entire college community come together and share a wonderful night and ultimately raising over $10,000!

I would like to thank the tireless work of the MCSS committee, especially Tippi, Des and Aidan. Without them, this event would not have been possible. Finally, to the Mannix College Community, thank you for your unerring support and participation in all of our unique events, it’s what makes the Mannix experience so special.

R U OK? Day

Heading

Subheading The health and wellbeing of our College community is at the heart of our culture. In 2022, the College invested heavily in wellbeing resources and initiatives to support the lives of our residents. One initiative on offer was R U OK? Day on September 14.

The notion and values of the widely celebrated R U OK? Day are interwoven into the daily lives of those who venture into the halls of Mannix College. This day reminds us all to ask ourselves, our mates, our peers and colleagues how they are feeling, and to reduce the stigma of not being okay. A conversation

could change a life. Here at Mannix, openness surrounding mental health is integrated into our daily lives, so there were no questions asked when Nell and I, as the RA responsible for the wellbeing portfolio, had the idea to hold our very own R U OK? afternoon tea.

With the assistance of the incredible kitchen staff, we were treated to banana milkshakes, R U OK? Daythemed muffins, Kit Kats, and a whole lot of good vibes. With everyone in their finest yellow attire, there was no better way to celebrate such an important day within the Mannixian walls. This gave people the

opportunity to ask those around them how they are going, as well as access resources on how to approach these difficult conversations.

Celebrating R U OK? Day allows us to not only celebrate and normalise discussion around mental health but also provide an invaluable opportunity to spark a conversation that could change or save a life. It can be uncomfortable to approach a friend or family member to ask if they’re okay, but your discomfort could make a world of difference to them.

Making Memories

Sports Report

by Annelli Cook and Liam Burgess

The experience of being a part of contributing to an ever-growing Mannix culture is something we both cherish and hold with pride. We both feel so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to be the 2022 Sports Representatives and it has made our view on our time at Mannix so special.

Mannix Sport this year took flight. The efforts of the residents in displaying participation and support are something we both honour and admire. The residents’ consistent support and leadership, allowed our portfolio to blossom and expand as we hoped it would. The assistance of our residents who were sports captains, who helped umpire, and who showed up made our year run smoothly and we are incredibly grateful.

Throughout this year, we had a huge focus on promoting sport to be something that all residents could contribute to. Through this, we expanded sport to involve the Inaugural Interfloor Sport Competition with our chosen sport of netball, as well as regular Sunday

Sports sessions. We had a key focus on promoting participation at our Sunday Sports, steering away from the more traditional sports of basketball and netball, while including more social and non-traditional sports such as Bubble Soccer, Bowling and childhood games.

This year, we made a return of the Mannix vs Monash Residential Services (MRS or “Halls”) with competitions in Football, Futsal, Netball and Dodgeball. This promoted a chance for residents to get involved through coaching roles and participation in various mixed sports. At the completion of the event and some friendly competition with our neighbours across the road, we were able to bring home a victory in the Football, Futsal and Netball games.

At the Annual Dinner, we presented awards to residents who displayed the most enthusiasm, participation and sportsmanship over the entirety of the year. The outstanding recipients Liam Hayden and Alyssa Mong were crowned the Sportspeople of the Year through their exceptional effort at sports events.

In total, we were unable to record the exact participants for the first semester, however over the 5 rounds of Sunday Sport in the second semester, we had 239 participants turn up and give it their all. We would like to extend our thanks and appreciation for all the assistance we received over the year. To our floor sports captains for their exceptional spirit, commitment and enthusiasm to continually turn up and provide excitement for your own floor’s participation. Other special thanks to our Committee for consistently providing support and assistance when we needed it, and even when we didn’t.

We would also like to extend our congratulations to our successors, the new Sports Representatives for 2023 Ella Johnson and Will Ussher, and wish them the best of luck for their term, with their first sports event already being incredibly successful.

Wings for Life

A record 240 Mannixians supported this year’s Wings for Life and raised more than $3,500 running through the night. Wings for Life is a charity foundation that supports cutting-edge research worldwide to find a cure for spinal cord injury.

An epic effort from our community! We ‘think’ we may have been the largest student team at the national event.

Thank you Monash University, Red Bull and Wings for Life - Spinal Cord Research Foundation for the opportunity to run for a cause.

Student Internship

Thanks to Mannix Old Collegian and Chair of the Mannix Foundation Council, Mark Freeman (1985), current resident Emily Fryett has been working as an intern at the Australian Foundation Investment Company (AFIC) since August 2022. Here, Emily shares her thoughts about the experience. If you’re an Old Collegian who is interested in providing professional pathways for current residents or young alumni, please contact the College.

“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be involved with such a prestigious company, afforded to me by CEO and Mannix alumni, Mark Freeman.”

I am currently studying a double degree in Commerce (Finance major) and Science (Mathematics major) at Monash University. In the short time I worked at AFIC, I have learnt so many new skills that have complimented my university studies, and will help to narrow down my areas of interest as I progress in my degree. I have also

seen how the theory I am learning in my classes can be practically applied in a corporate environment, and have been exposed to networking opportunities that have enhanced my communication skills to a level beyond what can be learnt in a classroom.

When I moved to Melbourne at the beginning of this year from Launceston, Tasmania, I had no idea that internships such as these were available to me. In Launceston, the opportunities for work experience in the finance industry are very limited, compared to what is offered in Melbourne. Students at Mannix are exposed to so many incredible opportunities to develop their careers and build a network of connections due to the College’s strong relationship with its alumni community. Although I am still in my first year of university, being able to progress in my career at such an early stage of my degree has created strong foundations for anything I choose to pursue in the future. This opportunity would not have

been possible without the support of Mannix, especially the College Principal, Andrew Swan. Mannix has a nurturing environment that allows students to thrive in their studies and encourages them to embrace any opportunity they are presented with. I am excited for the future as I continue to work at AFIC, and look forward to seeing how future students can develop their careers and be offered industry experiences in the same way I have.”

Sustainability Initiatives

By Abby Smyth & Sidney White

Mannix is committed to creating a sustainable campus by optimising our built environment, and implementing long-term sustainability initiatives such as solar panels on the roof of the main administration building. Our communal vegetable garden, herb garden and fruit trees supply residents and our kitchen with delicious food throughout the year. We recycle and compost as much as we can. Through visual signposting and awareness and training initiatives, we aim to create a culture of sustainable practice. Each year, at least two residents serve as the Student Sustainability Representatives.

We had some major wins throughout the year and made progress on achieving some of the longer-term goals to make Mannix more sustainable.

Bike Donations

One of the highlights of the year was the bike shed cleanout. We cleared out over 60% of the bikes in the bike shed and donated these to our wonderful maintenance team, who refurbished them or recycled parts to use for bike repairs.

Dining Hall

The return of the sandwich bar after COVID also meant the return of single-use plastic containers, which are not very turtle friendly! We worked with the kitchen staff to remove plastic containers from the sandwich bar and encouraged residents to use reusable coffee cups. We are hoping that by the start of next year we will be using entirely reusable coffee cups around the college. A longerterm plan was the implementation of an industrial composting system. Progress has been made on this by talking to some local companies however, as this is a continuous goal, we hope to see progress next year in conjunction with the Admin team.

End-of-Year Clothing Drive

With the end of the year at Mannix fast approaching, we were intent on minimising the amount of waste left at the College after residents departed. We set up clothing drives on each floor, and have been excited to see the positive response this has received from residents. We also set up a system for fridge donations, where donated fridges will be sold to incoming Freshers, with all proceeds going to charity.

Sustainability Sunday

A highlight of everyone’s Sunday was the regular Sustainability Sunday post on the MCSS Facebook feed. In these posts, we raised awareness about everyday ways to improve sustainable habits, discussing relevant topics such as Greenwashing, correct recycling practices and fast fashion. We also promoted Earth Day and were excited to see the discussion and conversation created around these issues.

With the revival of the Mannix Environmental Protection Agency (MEPA), we are excited to see the progress that will be made in 2023 in the realm of sustainability at Mannix.

Super Floor Competition

Each year, the six residential floors of the College participate in the Superfloor Competition which encourages and celebrates community life in all its forms. Residents can earn points for their floor in categories including: sport, culture, academics, leadership and community service.

As they say, nothing brings a floor together quite like some healthy rivalry. The 2022 Superfloor Competition brought out the best and the brightest elements of each floor and reignited the inter-floor culture in a post-lockdown Mannix. From participation in ‘Mullets for Mental Health,’ to attending our epic Functions, to sharing personal

experiences to break down taboo topics at Giraffe Chat, our Mannix Culture lives on in the consistent engagement and spirit of each and every Mannixian. This is what Superfloor recognises.

CommandO-Week saw Freshers having a boogie at our kaleidoscopic ‘Dream Function,’ zipping through the city in the esteemed scavenger hunt, and getting competitive at Lawn Bowls; Mid East finished the week on top, earning the title for ‘Best Freshers.’ With a well-earned victory in the inter-floor netball competition and success in debating, Bot West scored the auspicious first position at the end of Semester 1.

For Semester 2, Mid West showed superior sporting prowess and put on an energetic-to-say-the-least Floor Performance of Shrek.

However, with incredible participation in the Mannix Play ‘Grease,’ triumph in the Common Room decoration with their Casino theme, and high academic achievements, Mid East claimed the 2022 Superfloor Trophy. A huge congratulations to Mid East, spearheaded by their dedicated leadership team and enthusiastic floor residents.

Castle Day

Castle Day was a jam-packed day full of fun activities and good vibes. Some residents were out of bed early to watch the sunrise and dressed in floor colours to take a College photo.

On October 21, the official Castle Day activities began at 12 pm. Activities involved: jumping castles, face painting, mechanical bull, red frogs & red bull and even a masseuse! Residents danced along to the live music from the Mannix Band: Albert’s Einsteins and DJ JEDD while celebrating the end of the academic year.

The College became a rainbow while approaching the last few songs of the day when the colour powder was launched for the great finale. The day ended with a delicious parmigiana cooked up by our wonderful catering team.

A Mannix Wedding

Barry & Alexander

Old Colls Alexandra (Ally) Barry (2013) and Alexander Kuhn (2014), who met at Mannix, planned to marry in November 2020. After two postponements thanks to the pandemic, they finally celebrated their wedding in April this yearliterally surrounded by Mannixians.

Ally, whose gorgeous photo of the day is below, tells us:

“I was so nervous when I went to Mannix because I was so shy, but I ended up with a husband and hopefully my friends for life! So I’m forever grateful for that experience.”

MOCA

At the Mannix Old Collegians Association (MOCA) AGM on 26 October 2022, new MOCA CoPresidents were elected: Nick Young (2015) and Eva Scopelitti (2018). We’re sure there will be great things to come from MOCA in 2023!

The Bridesmaids were Monique Kowitz (2013/2014), Anne Atkins (13/14) and Alex Horner (2013/2014). Also pictured are Travis Dúrso (2014/2015) – Monique’s partner, they also meet at Mannix, and Jolon D’More (2014).”

Congratulations, Ally and Alexander.

If you have any great Old Coll news to share, just email Mannix.alumni@ monash.edu and let us know.

We thank outgoing Co-Presidents, James Fox and Jacob Chacko, for holding the MOCA reins through the pandemic and keeping alive such fine traditions such as the annual Gold Collegians Award and events for our youngest Old Colls.

If you’re interested in joining the MOCA Committee in future, you can contact the Presidents at MOCA. mannix@monash.edu

Alexandra (Ally) Barry and Alexander Kuhn and their wedding party

From left to right: Jacob Chacko, Andrew Swan, James Fox

Reflections of 2020

As you can all understand Covid-19 had a significant impact of the entire Mannix Community. The College had to make the hard decision to close its doors and send all the

students’ home from 22 March 2020 until February 2021. The impact was significant both financially and emotionally but the health of our population was the highest priority.

We have included the past President’s report from 2020 and 2021, the 2020 and 2021 Senior Resident Report and the annual photo from 2020 and 2021.

2020 had proven to be a very interesting year! As the 2020 SRA, I was beyond excited to be spending a third year in a place that had become such a large part of my identity and my home. We were fortuitous enough to enjoy two weeks where we established connections within the community before university commencing, and the atmosphere surrounding the college was extremely promising.

The adversity that the College community faced in 2020 is undeniable. The worldwide effects of COVID-19 aside, one of the core challenges for Mannix College residents was the level of uncertainty surrounding our return to such a fabulous and vibrant place. In many ways, we lost a whole year’s worth

Paulet

of experiences, opportunities and memories. However, what proved to be stronger than any amount of distance shared between one community, were the unbreakable connections, bonds and Mannix spirit that formed in such a short amount of time.

Plans and ideas for the college were put entirely on the backburner with the focus homing in on what a return to college would look like. Having experienced Mannix pre-pandemic the thought of returning in a completely different capacity was rather daunting. However, the creativity and ambition demonstrated by the 2020 leadership team at a time when inspiration was hard to come by was enlightening. Online floor meetings, cooking zooms and online challenges continued to tie us all together.

2021 SRA Report by

While most Mannixians say that their time at Mannix is one that they’ll never forget, few other cohorts can say that their time in the College was historic.

The 2021 RA team faced unprecedented challenges. While every RA team has had to deal with pastoral care, discipline and floor-based challenges, to state the obvious this was the first team to have to deal with a global pandemic in person. For all intents and purposes, they acted as quasi covidmarshals for over 280 university students. Throughout the year, and particularly in the second semester with the extended lockdown, COVID has been a profoundly challenging and stressful issue. Like almost all members of the Victorian community, the RA team has occasionally made mistakes and has found some of the restrictions frustrating. However, we always acted in the best interests of the residents and the College. The team rose to the challenge and kept

Ben Chaney

Mannix and its residents safe. If in the future there is another pandemic, those RA teams will be able to look to our experience this year and find a fine example that will guide them. The college and its residents owe this team an enormous debt of gratitude.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sergio Fabris for his contribution to the College. “Serg” as he was known to students also faced a challenging year in 2021. With the departure of Principal Sean Brito, Serg was asked to step up and run the College in an incredibly challenging time. Sergio stepped up and rose to these challenges in a kind and professional manner. The College owes him an enormous debt of gratitude.

I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate, on behalf of this year’s RA team and the 2021 Mannix cohort, Andrew Swan on his appointment as Mannix Principal for

We learnt more about each other through different forums and perhaps gained an insight into one another’s homes – a perspective we may never have seen. I am immensely proud of the role that the RA team has played in whichever capacity possible, facilitating the opportunity to continue the connections formed within the floors of the College.

The 2020 Mannix community had not been lost amid COVID-19, rather we now share a new dimension of memories that will forever underpin this wonderful cohort. I feel a small sense of loss when I think about what the year may have been, however, I continue to feel grateful to have a place like Mannix be such an integral part of my life.

2022 onward. When we had a brief meeting with Andrew his passion and knowledge of the College were immediately evident. I cannot wait to hear about all the good that he will do as he leads Mannix into the future.

The role of SRA has been the most challenging, educational and fulfilling I’ve ever undertaken. I feel immensely grateful to have been entrusted with the responsibility to help lead the College through this challenging time. I have always strived to do right by the residents and make Mannix a place that people are proud to call home. Mannix, the friends I’ve made here and the time I’ve spent here hold a very special place in my heart. I will always look back at my time here with fondness and tenderness.

Omnia omnibus.

2020 MCSS President Report

by Charlee Hawkes

Being a resident of Mannix College in 2020 was, by some accounts, a year to forget, but, by others, a year that will go down in the history books.

With 170 Freshers donned in fluorescent yellow shirts for ‘UFO Week’, the MCSS delivered exceptional events such as the UFO function, bush dancing, debating and the infamous Fresher exam and photo. Treasurer Caitlin O’Dwyer introduced ‘Tap and Go’ payment systems to Function entry and at the Bar - a substantial upgrade from a cash-only system.

Due to the emergence of COVID, Monash pushed back their start date by one week to ‘let the Coronavirus pass over’. This led to the debut of ‘Re-O-Week’, for Freshers and Returners at Mannix to bond without the stresses of University. MCSS took advantage of this extra week by delivering events for the entire college which set the stage for a great relationship between our residents.

I remember that I was lying on the ground in my room - exhausted from a ‘double’ O-Week when I received the call. Mannix College had been forced to close its doors due to COVID-19. A College meeting was held on Zoom to let everyone know how long they would have to pack up their things. I will never forget the silence through the corridors and the confusion in people’s eyes that day. There were many questions that I did not have the answers to - “When will we be back?”, “Can we leave stuff in our room?”, “How do I get home?”

On a night that will no doubt grace the history books of Mannix College, residents pulled together one last ‘hoorah’ - the last-minute Castle Day. The MCSS emptied its fridges, and all stocks of frozen food were escorted immediately to the deep frier. Residents wore their O-Week tops, with Returners donning theirs from the year before. Group photos were taken, tears were shed, Mannix dances were performed in unison, and many emotional goodbyes were had. No one knew when Mannix would re-open.

Whilst in lockdown, the Mannix residents were innovative in finding ways to stay in touch with the community. A music video was compiled to the soundtrack ‘Staying Alive’ where almost all residents (and staff!) submitted a video of themselves dancing, which was in turn edited together and shared amongst the community. MCSS hosted zoom sessions with mental health advocates from Headspace, various members of leadership shared ‘How to’ cook videos from their kitchens, and Mistda Spencer continued to deliver the weekly ‘Messenger’ News to the community.

With the year nearing an end, it was eventually announced that Mannix would not reopen its doors until the following year. When I returned to clean out my room, the corridors were eerily quiet, many rooms were filled with dead plants and empty calendars, and the courtyard grass was as green as it will ever be. There was one role left to be performed by the MCSS - to elect a new committee. MCSS Committee

members created videos to explain what their role was for the Freshers who didn’t remember. Despite large concerns that no one would run for elections, Mannix saw one of the largest elections in its history, with more Returners than ever deciding to stay for the third year and run for leadership. The elections were held on Zoom.

Despite the challenges, I reflect on 2020 at Mannix with fondness, particularly the exceptional O-Week and Re-O-Week delivered by the leadership team. I would like to thank the Committee of 2020 for their outstanding leadership and resilience throughout the yearElliot Bleathmate (Vice-President), Georgia Barrass (Secretary), Caitlin O’Dwyer (Treasurer), Chloe Reed (Culture), Jemima Allen (Wellbeing), Jordan James and Steph Cameron (Sports), Huw Jones and Ella Porter (Functions), Lucy Jones (Social Justice Officer).

2021 MCSS President Report by

Stepping back into the hallways of Mannix at the start of 2021 was a feeling I’ll never forget. After a year trapped at home, with the Mannix community spread far and wide across Australia and beyond, it was surreal to be home.

On that last fabled last day in 2020, I saw an entire community band together and celebrate. This day has stuck with me ever since. It showed me the immense sense of pride and love that everyone has for Mannix, and I couldn’t wait for it to be back!

2021 presented our team with a unique proposition: given the sudden end to the 2020 collegiate year and the fear that we may lose much of the culture inside the college, our committee was handed a ‘blank slate.’ Thus, operation ‘bring back Mannix’ was born!

After a quiet year in the College’s hallways, it was such a great feeling to see our energy burst into a frenzy of colour. Orientation week saw the college flooded with pink tee shirts and a group of residents who dived head-first into everything the college had to offer. Over the week, 125 Freshers were welcomed into the Mannix family: From bus trips into the city and functions to highpower debating and lawn bowls in their crisp white pants, the Freshers all took the name very literally and dove into GLOW WEEK with lights flashing bright!

Finally - after a year of silence in the halls - Mannix was back!

Semester one was jam-packed with new and exciting functions, interfloor sports, community activities and new and exciting clubs bringing residents together.

On May 25, the MCSS hosted an event dubbed ‘Metropolis’ at 170 Russell in Melbourne’s CBD. The event, open to all Mannixians from the last three years, yielded an attendance of nearly 400! You may have noticed however, that this date

is remarkably close to the beginning of Victoria’s fourth COVID lockdown. Our last hoorah, if you will.

But - that shared, sinking feeling that we were going to have a repeat of 2020 was quickly quashed. It became clear that Mannix wasn’t going to give up without a fight.

Semester two, with all its weird and wonderful rules, restrictions and room capacities, wasn’t going to be a normal semester - but boy did Mannix band together to give it their best shot.

With density limits in place, new function ideas started flying in: whether it was Trivia Nights and ‘Minute to Win it’ competitions, Mannix Decathlons, or Inter-Floor Debating, the Mannix community took care of each other and had a ball while ensuring the safety of those around them.

With the bastro off limits, Table Tennis, Pool, FIFA, and Mario Kart became the new, with round-robin competitions running at all times of the day.

The show must go on, and FAME was no exception - with tiny crowds and lots of cameras, the JCR was once again lit up for an incredible play.

The committee raised $35, 716 for various charities and community organisations throughout 2021. This record-breaking figure could not have been made possible without the support residents have all shown towards each other and the wider community this year - no matter how tough things may have been.

And while IMPOSSIBALL may not have gone ahead (maybe the name should have been a sign), after numerous reschedules, the college made sure to dress up for a bowl of dining hall soup and musical performances from our friends to celebrate the occasion, in a more COVID-safe way.

James Spencer

Castle Day - the day of all dayscoincided with the final lifting of restrictions in Victoria. With the sun out and jumping castles inflating, Mannix came together to make sure 2021 went out with a bang!

This camaraderie throughout this semester can be attributed to the great cohort we had this year. It is truly gratifying to see a college where people are looking out for each other, and where everyone is comfortable being true to themselves, no matter what the circumstance.

I would like to thank the Committee of 2021 for their outstanding leadership and resilience throughout the year. The committee’s work can go unnoticed, but they put in a massive effort in 2021 to provide for the college, and they have always done so with your best interests at heart:

Jemima Allen (Vice President), Aidan Hanrahan (Treasurer), Joshua Strauss (Secretary)

Georgia Doyle (Ball), Oliver Chappell (Communications), Luci Watts (Culture), Phoebe Edgell & Oliver Widdicombe (Functions), Ellen Ring & Charlie Harper (Sports), and Catie Mytton & Stephanie Hancock (Social Justice & Wellbeing).

To the Mannix class of 2021: Mannix didn’t just survive the pandemic – it thrived – all because of you guys. If this year has shown us anything, it’s that no matter what comes our way – the residents, the beating heart within Mannix - will always look out for each other, care for each other, and make lemons into lemonade.

I like to think that in my 23 years of life, I have done many exciting and rewarding things. However, there is no doubt that this year - being given the opportunity to lead this incredible community - was the best of them all.

So on that note: Omnia Omnibus!

Vale Chris Callinan

We were sad to hear of the passing of Mannix Old Collegian, Chris Callinan who passed away peacefully in early 2023, aged 74.

Chris grew up in Beaumaris. He completed his secondary education at Xavier College as part of the Class of ’66. During this time, he distinguished himself both academically and on the sports field. At Monash University, Chris was one of the pioneering first residents at Mannix. After graduating in 1970, he later went on to study at Stanford University. He enjoyed a long and successful corporate career and was a devoted community leader.

With all that Chris achieved scholastically, on the sports field and in business, nothing surpassed his ability to relate to others. He will be fondly remembered for his ability to make those with whom he came in contact, feel included. This trait was on full display at the inaugural Mannix Old Colls 1969-1973 lunch in April 2022. Chris was in sensational form; enjoying his renewed connection to his Mannix friends.

Vale Sheila Chamberlain

We were sad to hear of the passing of Mannix Old Collegian, Sheila Chamberlain. Sheila loved her years at Mannix and often reminisced with us about her time at the College. Her poem, “Mannix Memories” was written in her last months.

Mannix College was named after our Irish Archbishop

Who lived at ‘Raheen’ in the suburb of Kew

From St Patrick’s Cathedral, he served all of Melbourne. Dying at nine-nine years, an age reached by so few.

At first, the College was for young men only. Later on, the ladies were invited to come too. The place was then at full capacity. Rooms filled up as the population grew.

The Dominican Fathers were at the head. They were therefore the ones in charge. They cared for the needs of all the students A big job, as their family was large.

The College was the residence of all Uni students

Who studied at Monash o’er the road. No need to travel, so more time for themselves And this certainly would lighten their load.

Many students came from towns in the country

Others came from places overseas. The locals of Melbourne were few in number The home was Mannix, with just reasonable fees.

At Monash, the students did a variety of coursesEngineering, Science, Medicine, and the Arts. There were lectures, tutorials, library reading, and discussions. Education for all fresh minds and young hearts.

Mannix was a wonderful meeting place. We would greet each other and make many new friends. We would welcome, and receive, young enthusiastic beings. That Mannix College, to all of us, would send!

-Sheila Chamberlain, 2022